Trump Appoints Ferguson as FTC Chair, Signals Pro-Business Shift in AI Regulation and M&A

Dec 11, 2024, 02:15 PM

President-elect Donald Trump has announced the appointment of Andrew Ferguson as the new chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), replacing Lina Khan. Alongside Ferguson, Trump has also nominated Mark Meador as a commissioner to the agency. This leadership change is anticipated to steer the FTC towards a more business-friendly approach, particularly in relation to mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The incoming chair has expressed intentions to halt the FTC's efforts to regulate AI and to cease bringing 'disparate impact' cases. The tech industry is expected to benefit from this shift, with potential implications for companies like Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon, especially in the context of AI development and M&A activities.